Martial Arts Master

Shengxiang stadium, Fuluo. The well-lit stadium was flooded with people that bore a sea of enthusiasm.

“The competition begins with double-elimination. There will be one round for each fighter per day, until there are 16 left,” explained Zhong Ningtao, leading Lou Cheng and the rest to their designated areas.

Similar to the Youth Tournament at the provincial level last year… , nodded Lou Cheng, paying close attention to the layout of the stadium in order to perform his role as a good husband and capture any interesting sights.

Shengxiang was greatly influenced by Buddhist culture, evident from the many golden Vajra and Arhat in the stadium—some menacing, some imposing, some in pain and some sullen. At a glance, they roused anxiety and fear in the heart of the onlooker.

Among the intimidating gazes of the statues were three spacious arenas that formed a triangle, covered in swastika carvings that carried messages of clarity, illusion and detachment.

The inner and outer influences combined seemed to have an effect on the mood of martial artists.

“Clever move…” commented Ann Chaoyang, speaking at a normal volume even with his headphones on.

Peng Leyun snapped out of his daydreams and took a look himself.

“This must be what you call home advantage.”

The Buddhist statues and the swastikas should have been the handiwork of eminent Sadhus— they bore a similar but stronger effect to the Forwarding Formula Lou Cheng had written for Wang Xu, providing an advantage for Sadhus by disturbing the peace of mind of non-Sadhus.

“Yes,” said Ren Li as she walked forward to snap some shots of the statues and swastikas, soon returning when she saw the tense expression on Zhong Ningtao’s face. “Guide Zhong, I’m not blind, there’s no way I’ll get lost if it’s just a few steps,” she whimpered.

“Can’t be too careful…” Zhong Ningtao said thoughtfully, feeling exhausted physically and mentally from the past few days.

Beside him, Lou Cheng was busy sending the photos he took to Yan Zheke, getting into a discussion on the various home advantages.

*Cough.* Zhong Ningtao cleared his throat. “This is it guys! Rev yourselves up, but don’t let your guard down. Most of these players are, or once were, the geniuses of their countries that are more of less 6th Pin standard.”

“Got it,” Lou Cheng nodded solemnly.

Technically, his level was merely on the high end of 6th Pin since he had not yet reached the Inhuman stage or entered morphing.

Therefore, he could not afford to be careless with his opponents who possessed the bizarre Kungfu he knew little about.

Just as Peng Leyun was about to say something, the radio announcement blasted in English and Shengxiangese, repeating once for each language.

“It’s our turn!” urged Zhong Ningtao, straightening his back and shuffling to the front of the team.

Ann Chaoyang took off his headphones and hung them around his neck. Peng Leyun’s eyes brimmed with focus while Ren Li and Lou Cheng switched their phones to silent mode and slid them into their pockets.

About ten seconds later, the national anthem began to play, Lou Cheng and the others could feel their blood boiling with excitement as they followed Zhong Ningtao’s lead through the tunnel into the venue and towards the guest seating area.

They stood there, the center of attention. Following a prickly stare, Lou Cheng saw a brutish, beefy man in a traditional samurai costume among the Japanese representative team, inspecting him with a profound gaze.

Bam!

Their eyes met, gazes clashing. The light reflected in Mouko Yamashita converged, forming a white, wavy light that shot at Lou Cheng’s eyes.

Lou Cheng squinted as his iris darkened like an endless galaxy, the red in his eyes becoming the sun, the white, the stars. As the world in his eyes revolved, the incoming radiance was devoured completely.

At the same time, Ren Li felt a twitch in her heart, following Lou Cheng’s gaze, she saw a beautiful girl with light makeup in a yukata. She had a cute round face and mirror like eyes, and exuded a phantom-like elegance.

It was no other than the descendant of Xinzhai Sect, Tang Zexun!

Whoosh! A strong gust swept up from nowhere, clumsily thrashing everything in its path.

Ann Chaoyang also “found” a resonance, turning his head instinctively his eyes met the eyes of a haggard and yellow-skinned Sadhu clad in red robes. And in that moment, he felt a strong detest and abandonment for worldly matters imposed into him.

All illusions, imprison me no more!

“Water” gushed from Ann Chaoyang’s mind, gurgling with the exuberance of life, washing away the despair and despondence that had sprouted.

What powerful spirit infiltration, thought Ann Chaoyang as he diverted his gaze, looking towards other mighty ones.

Beside him, Peng Leyun saw Veigar as his cold countenance came into sight, donned in creaseless navy-blue military uniform as a snake of electricity danced in his eyes.

Bing Bang Boom!

A loud noise came, the stadium lights dimmed but quickly recovered its glamour.

Lou Cheng kept walking, looking away from Mouko Yamashita and at Tang Zexun, Wahku and Veigar, each with an unique aura that came crashing at him. With the Army Formula and Fighting Formula secretly aiding him, he did not fall into any disadvantage.

Lastly, his gaze fell upon the dark-skinned Banam among the Nan Zheng representative, sitting with arms crossed and staring at them with icy eyes akin to a beast eyeing its prey.

The national anthem stopped as Lou Cheng and the others arrived at their seats, sat down and stopped glancing around, while their opponents also withdrew their gazes.

“To think they gave us 4 wild card invitations…What on earth were they thinking?” mused Ann Chaoyang in hushed voice, bundling his long hair together.

4 countries added up, yet they could not find more than 5 Inhuman stage martial artists below the age of 24!

“Maybe they didn’t expect us to be so ungracious to send our best,” jested Zhong Ningtao.

“True…” nodded Ren Li, not realizing his humor. She turned to Peng Leyun and the others. “Why did you guys join anyway?”

“I haven’t had much actual combat ever since reaching Inhuman stage and was dying to test my skills, then the opportunity came and here I am,” smiled Peng Leyun.

“What about all the Shangqing Sect seniors that have reached the Inhuman stage?” asked Lou Cheng.

Why would he miss a chance of having actual combat?

Peng Leyun smiled. “Like you said, they are my seniors. I’ll be reprimanded if I challenge them out of the blue. A few seniors from my batch have scarcely been coming back to the Sect ever since I was promoted.”

Seems like he’s a devil at Shangqing Sect too…, thought Lou Cheng as he found the answer to his doubts.

After which, Ren Li spoke up on her own. “I just completed morphing and hope to get accustomed to the Inhuman stage through actual combat, so I came.”

“My master made me come. She said it’s a good chance to strengthen my foundation for the breakthrough to the Inhuman stage next year,” said Ann Chaoyang.

“What about you?” Ren Li turned to Lou Cheng, the others also waited for his reply intently.

They were closer to each other by now, so Lou Cheng dropped the formalities and replied with frankness.

“I’m short on money…”

They fell silent. Lou Cheng felt them staring at him as if he was from another planet.

He wanted to explain, but the drawing of lots ceremony and dull speeches had already began.

Lou Cheng sneakily snapped a shot and sent it to Ke, describing his emotions during the stare-down from before.

“Sounds impressive. [Laughs with hand covering mouth]” replied Ke. “I saw the committee referring to you guys as “China’s Wild Card team”, and it didn’t sound quite right for some reason, then I finally realized what was weird after I read “Unparalleled Dragon King”‘s explanation on the forum. “China’s Wild Card Team” my foot, it’s more like “China’s Overpowered Cheater Team!” Especially you, you big pervert!”

When she typed towards the end, she thought of something and blushed with a complicated look in her eyes.

Lou Cheng felt a connection, and replied,

“I won’t agree if others called me that…”

But his little fairy had the rights to!

While he was chatting, “Unparalleled Dragon King” also hit him up, excited.

“Little Tiger, I looked up many sources online, but the camera angles are all fixed on one arena! I’m counting on you later! Don’t forget to take pictures and do the live reporting! [Grovelling]”

Lou Cheng was grateful to “Unparalleled Dragon King” for providing competition replays so he could not turn him down, but at the same time he didn’t want to raise his hopes too much, so he replied,

“Sure, but I have other things to do, so I’ll only be doing it while I’m free,” replied Lou Cheng.

Worst comes to worst, he can just ask Peng Leyun or Ann Chaoyang for help.

Moments later, the drawing of lots officially commenced. The only rule for the double-elimination matches was that players from the same country would not face each other.

Peng Leyun drew first, his opponent was a Shengxiang boxer. Ann Chaoyang was to fight a powerful opponent from Miluo.

Another minute passed and Ren Li’s name was called, she was pit against a Shengxiang Padhu, Phiwahku.

Lou Cheng waited patiently until it was down to the last few when he finally heard his name.

“China, Lou Cheng!”

He adjusted his posture, watching as his opponent was being drawn by the guest.

“Japan, Ichiei Sakata!”

Ichiei Sakata? Lou Cheng nodded as he recollected the details of this samurai.

This was one of the non-Inhuman opponents Zhong Ningtao warned him about. Also a disciple of the Extreme Hadou Sect, once on equal grounds with Mouko Yamashita and a supernatural ability holder. He got overtaken by the latter eventually and currently nearing the age of 24, he had ran into a brick wall and had no hopes of advancing into the Inhuman stage.

Heh, I was just imitating Mouko Yamashita a few days ago. For my first opponent to also be from the “Extreme Hadou Sect” , how coincidental, thought Lou Cheng.

….

At the side of the Japanese representative, Ichiei Sakata who had dyed his hair blonde was looking tensely at the match up, as if he could already imagine what was going to be on the newspaper headlines.

“Can The Genius of The Past Restore His Former Glory?”